Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Annotation:
This
short collection of free verse poems and
creepy illustrations features macabre retellings of classic fairy tales from “Hansel
and Gretel” to “Rumpelstiltskin.”

Personal
thoughts: I am a fan of fairytale retellings, so when I heard about this
creepy collection, and saw the very grim cover, I made sure to pick it up.
Although I did enjoy the book, I found myself thinking as I was reading it, “Wow.
This isn’t really for teens.” A lot of the stories are based on more obscure
fairy tales, there is definitely some very adult language and imagery in them,
and a lot of the humor and irony is very subtle. That’s not to say that I don’t
think many teen readers would be able to understand the poems, they just seem
to me that they would appeal much more to an adult audience. I would have
trouble recommending this collection to teens who are simply interested in
reading fairy tale retellings, as I feel there are many more appropriate and
enjoyable books for the age group. To older teens and adults who want a taste
of the macabre, however, I would suggest giving this one a try.

Plot
summary: Written in free verse, this macabre collection of poems and creepy
illustrations includes twenty-three retellings of classic fairy tales. Featured
tales range from “Cinderella,” told from the perspective of the stepsisters, “Hansel
and Gretel,” who want revenge against the father that allowed them to be
abandoned in the woods, and a monologue from “Red Riding Hood” who is relaying
what happened to her mother once she is home safe from Grandma’s house.

Review: Seasoned
young adult author and poet Ron Koertge delivers a chilling set of retold fairy
tales in Lies, Knives and Girls in Red
Dresses. The collection is brief and can easily be read in one sitting,
although many readers might want to go through some of the chapters twice so as
not to miss any gruesome details. In terms of enjoyment, some of the tales fare
better than others. Although the book is marketed for the young adult audience,
only some of Koertge’s retellings will appeal to teen readers. Teens will
likely enjoy tales like “Red Riding Hood, Home at Last, Tells Her Mother What
Happened,” “Hansel and Gretel,” and “Memoirs
of the Beast,” all grim but witty retellings of stories that younger readers
will undoubtedly be familiar with. Other chapters, such as “Godfather Death,” “The
Little Match Girl” and “The Robber Bridegroom” are taken from tales that aren’t
as well-known, and are far more grisly, making them less likely to resonate
with the young adult audience. In fact, when factors like language,
characterization and imagery are taken into account, this collection seems more
appropriate for an adult audience. At most, it will entertain very sophisticated
teen readers who will understand all the nuances in each retelling and be
familiar with the original tales they are derived from. Overall, Lies, Knives and Girls in Red Dresses is
an enjoyable and entertaining journey into the creepiness of fairy tales, but
one that is likely to appeal more to adults than to teens.

Genre: Short Stories/Poetry

Reading
level: Grade 9+

Similar
titles: Kill Me
Softly by Sarah Cross, Sweetly and
Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce, Twisted: Tales to Rot Your Brain Vol. 1
by Nora Thompson, A Wolf at the Door and
Other Retold Fairy Tales by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling.

Themes: Fairy tales, poetry, macabre, irony, humor.

Awards/Reviews:
Starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and The
Horn Book, positive review from School
Library Journal.

Series
Information: N/A

Discussion
questions:

-
What is your favorite chapter in this
collection? Why?

-
Were there any fairy tales featured in this
collection that you weren’t familiar with? Which ones?

-
Do you think that the illustrations enhance
the collection? Why or why not?

-The author describes this collection as being
written in “free verse.” What is free verse? Have you ever read anything else
in this style of writing?

-
If you had to create your own creepy retelling
of a classic fairy tale, which story would you choose?

Annotation:
In
1539 England, Katherine “Kitty” Tylney lives in the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk’s
household, along with many other young women but, most importantly, her best
friend, the beautiful and popular Catherine “Cat” Howard. After Cat is sent to
live in the royal court and catches the eye of King Henry VIII, however, how
will their friendship survive as Cat seems more and more destined to become the
next Queen of England?

Personal
thoughts: I love all things related to Henry VIII and his six wives (I’ve
read bunches novels on the subject, watched every episode of The Tudors, have seen all the movies…I’m
a hardcore fan!) When I saw that a young adult novel had been published about
the life of Catherine Howard, I was very excited and, not surprisingly, enjoyed
reading Gilt quite a bit. I’ve always
thought that Catherine Howard’s story would make a great novel for teens
because she herself was a teenager, thrust into a royal life with little
education or knowledge of what to expect. I liked reading from Kitty’s
perspective, especially since it gave the opportunity to portray Catherine as a
1539 version of Regina George. I am really looking forward to reading the rest
of the series and am happy that Katherine Longshore is re-telling this exciting
period of history for the young adult audience.

Plot
summary: In 1539 England, Katherine “Kitty” Tylney and her best friend
Catherine “Cat” Howard live together, along with dozens of other young ladies,
in the household of the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk. Forgotten by their poor but
aristocratic families, Kitty and Cat and the rest of the girls spend their time
flirting with the male servants of the household. Cat, the most vivacious and
popular of the girls, rules over the maidens’ chamber, deciding who does what,
who is in favor, and who is to be shunned. Even though she is awkward, shy, and
not nearly as beautiful and bewitching as Cat, Kitty enjoys a certain level of
social protection in the maidens’ chamber as Cat’s closest friend and
confidante. Everything changes, however, when the Duke of Norfolk decides to
send Cat to live in the royal court as a maid servant to Anne of Cleves, King
Henry VII’s latest wife. Kitty and the rest of the ladies mourn the loss of
their leader, and life quiets down in the household of the Dowager Duchess
until Cat writes to invite Kitty and two other ladies, Joan and Alice, to join
her at court. It seems that King Henry has fallen under Cat’s spell, and is
intent upon marrying her. As the best friend of the Queen, Kitty is suddenly
thrust into a life of fancy gowns, parties and men. But no secret is safe in
the court of Henry VIII, and idle gossip can lead to a date with the
executioner. Will Kitty be able to survive a life in service to a Queen like Cat,
or is she destined to fall like so many in King Henry’s court?

Review: The story
of Catherine Howard, the young, beautiful, bubbly and ultimately ill-fated
fifth wife of King Henry VIII has been retold by countless authors over the
years. In Gilt, however, author
Katherine Longshore has successfully adapted the history into a novel for young
adults, something that is actually quite fitting considering that Catherine
herself was only a teenager when she became Queen. The author portrays Cat as
something of a “mean girl.” Popular, charismatic and charming, Cat rules over
the other girls in the household of the Dowager Duchess like a high school
queen bee. Although Kitty is considered by all to be Cat’s best friend, it is
clear from the start that their friendship is not equitable. Kitty is at the
mercy of her friend, and it seems that their relationship is strongest when
Kitty does Cat’s bidding, regardless of what danger it puts her in. Many
readers will be able to identify with this, especially those who have had
experiences with friends like Cat who seem to use friendships for their own
gain. After Cat goes to court and eventually wins the heart of the King, the
relationship between Kitty and her best friend becomes even more strained. The
novel is an excellent jumping off point to spark interest in this time period for
young adult readers. The author does a good job of relaying the history while
making the story intriguing and relatable for teens. Gilt is the first in a series of books about life in Henry VIII’s
court. The second novel, Tarnish,
takes place twenty years before the events of Gilt and is set to be released in June 2013.

Genre: Historical Fiction

Reading
level: Grade 8+

Similar
titles: The Boleyn
Inheritance by Philippa Gregory, The
King’s Rose by Alisa M. Libby, The
Confession of Katherine Howard by Suzannah Dunn.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Annotation:
After
her mother’s death, sixteen-year-old Cate Cahill must protect herself and her
two sisters from the prying eyes of the Brotherhood, the organization that
reigns over the country of New England and would throw them in jail or worse if
they found out the truth: the Cahill sisters are witches.

Personal
thoughts: This was one of those novels that really made me think. I was
trying to figure out the whole time whether it was something along the lines of
the movie The Village, where all the
townspeople think they’re living in the 19th century but it’s
actually the present-day. This was very intriguing to me and almost outplayed
the rest of the story. Cate’s struggle to find out the truth about her mother
and the Cahill sisters’ powers as witches is interesting, but in picking up the
sequel I will be wondering primarily about the nature of the world they live
in. I would easily recommend this book to readers who want something dystopian
but with a twist. Definitely one to look out for!

Plot
summary: Sixteen-year-old Cate Cahill lives in the town of Chatham in the
country of New England. Ruled over by the Brotherhood, society in New England
is very rigid, women growing up with the expectation that their highest
aspiration in life is to be obedient to their husbands and raise healthy children.
Cate and her two younger sisters, Maura and Tess, are still struggling to cope
with the death of their mother three years earlier. Not only did the loss of
their mother leave them without someone to guide them into entering society as
proper women, but it meant that no one could instruct them into hiding their
most dangerous secret: all three Cahill sisters are witches. The Brotherhood
regularly arrests young girls upon suspicion of witchcraft, sending them to
asylums, work ships, or worse. Cate wants nothing more than to keep herself and
her sisters safe from the prying eyes of the Brotherhood. After a mysterious
letter arrives at the Cahill house, however, one that warns of imminent danger
to the Cahill sisters, Cate is determined to find out the truth about her
mother and their family secret.

Review: Set in an
alternate version of history where North America is divided between Indo-China
in the west, Mexico in the south and New England in the east, this debut novel
from author Jessica Spotswood marks to beginning of a new series for young
adults that combines both fantasy and dystopia seamlessly. It’s unclear what
exactly the circumstances are that have lead to the Brotherhood reigning in an
iron-fisted theocracy over the “country” of New England. The reader is left
wondering if the novel really takes place in the 19th century as it
claims, or is actually in the distant future following some terrible post-apocalyptic
event. This makes for a very intriguing thread that runs throughout the story:
what exactly is the truth? As Cate, both independent and strong-willed,
struggles to learn more about her past and what danger the future might hold,
the reader begins to discover more about the world Cate is living in. The theme
of the Brotherhood fixating on punishing girls, witches or those who display
attraction to the same sex in particular, permeates the novel as well, making
for some interesting points to think about while reading. Overall, a
multi-faceted and thought-provoking start to what appears to be a creative and
original series for teens. The second novel, Star Cursed, is set to be released on June 18, 2013.

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Reading
level: Grade 8+

Similar
titles: Article 5 by Kristen
Simmons, Dearly, Departed by Lia
Habel, Eve by Anna Carey and What Happened to Serenity? by PJ Sarah
Collins.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Annotation:
When
her entire tribe is killed, fifteen-year-old Malora Thora-Jayke leaves the
plains she grew up in and travels into the bush with Sky, her father’s prize
horse. After Malora and Sky encounter other wild horses, she soon has a whole
herd to look after. Worried that she will never meet another one of the People
and will spend her life alone in the wild, Malora is stunned when she and her
herd attract the attention of Orion, a centaur, and his cousins and servants
from the centaur settlement of Mount Kheiron.

Personal
thoughts: I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I really
like Greek mythology so the centaur aspect of it was entertaining for me. On
the other hand, I am not a horse person, so the very detailed accounts of
flanks, muzzles, and whinnies didn’t appeal to me. I think there are some
clever ideas in the novel, but they got too muddled down by horse minutia. I
would easily recommend this book to someone who loves all things equine. If
that wasn’t the case, however, I probably would select something else.

Plot
summary: In the distant future, twelve-year-old Malora is the daughter of Thora
and Jayke, the leaders of the last tribe of the People. Malora’s tribe relies
on their horses to hunt and bring game to feed the People, and no horse is
faster than her father’s, Sky. Malora wants nothing more than to learn to
become a hunter herself and have her own horse like Sky to look after. Malora’s
life changes, however, when Leatherwings, vicious creatures with horrible human
heads and large bat-like wings, murder all of the men in the tribe while they
are on the hunt. Thora knows that the Leatherwings will return to finish off
the rest of the tribe, so she sends Malora and Sky, the only horse that
survived the attack, away from the tribe and into the wild. After three years
on her own, Malora is now fifteen and the keeper of a large herd of horses
thanks to Sky meeting with several wild mares in the bush. Malora knows every
horse and protects them from predators, all the while wondering if she herself
will ever encounter any other People. One day as Malora and the herd are
travelling in the north, they catch the attention of Orion and his cousins, a
travelling party of centaurs from the luxurious city of Mount Kheiron. Orion
intends to capture the wild herd to serve his father, the leader of Mount
Kheiron, in an annual race, and is shocked to discover Malora amongst the
horses. None of the centaurs have ever laid eyes on one of the People, who were
rumored to be long extinct, and both Orion and Malora are shocked to learn that
not only are they able to communicate, but have more in common than they would
have ever thought.

Review: Combining
fantasy with a post-apocalyptic future, this first installment in a new series
for young adult readers will appeal to fans of Greek mythology, but holds
particular interest for horse enthusiasts. The author’s love for horses is
apparent in every aspect of the novel. Everything about the horses, from the
way they eat, to the noises they make, to their general behavior is described
in depth. Horse lovers are sure to relish these details. For readers who aren’t
equine aficionados, however, the plot of the novel itself might not be as
exciting. Malora is a likable if somewhat underdeveloped character. While the
story primarily focuses on her, there is little exploration into her
personality apart from being a robust and skilled huntress. She shows little
vulnerability and it’s unclear if she has romantic feelings for any of the
handsome male centaurs she becomes close to in the story. Far more interesting
is the centaur civilization of Mount Kheiron, a luxurious but strict city
divided into the haves (the Highlanders) and the have-nots (the Flatlanders.)
Malora is lucky enough to become the “pet” of Orion, the son of Mount Kheiron’s
leader, or Apex, so she has a rags-to-riches experience in the fanciest part of
town. Hopefully in the next installments in the series, more about how Mount
Kheiron was established will be explained so that the reader will fully
understand how the distinction between Highlanders and Flatlanders came about.
For horse fans, Daughter of the Centaurs
is an enjoyable and different kind of read than they may have experienced. For
those who aren’t as excited by things on four legs, this story might be one to
pass by. The sequel, A Gathering of Wings,
is set to be released May 28, 2013.

Series
Information: First novel in Centauriad series.
Second novel, A Gathering of Wings,
set to be released May 28, 2013.

Discussion
questions:

-
Who do you think Malora was closer with: Thora
or Jayke? Why?

-
How do you explain the presence of all of the
mythical or fantastical creatures in Malora’s future? What other
post-apocalyptic observations did you make while reading the novel?

-
Why do you think it was so important for
Malora to name her horses?

-
Who was your favorite character in the novel?
Why?

-
Do you think Orion truly viewed Malora as a
pet? Why or why not?- What do you think is the significance of Malora's reaction to the scents?-
Why do you think the Apex denied Malora’s
choice for her Hand? Do you think he regretted that decision?

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Annotation:
After
spending the last two years constantly getting in trouble at school for
fighting, stealing, and cursing, sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby’s parents decide
to send her to live with her Uncle Mort in upstate New York for the summer.
Upset that she has to spend the next three months on a farm, Lex is surprised
when, after arriving in the small town of Croak, she learns that her uncle is
actually a Grim Reaper, and he is recruiting her for one unusual summer job.

Personal
thoughts: It’s been awhile since I’ve picked up a book that I loved as much
as Croak from start to finish. Gina Damico’s writing style really resonated with me because
she is able to accomplish a lot without being cliché, melodramatic, or
attempting to manipulate the reader into feeling a certain way. She simple wrote
a good, entertaining and original story with a solid plot and likable
characters: a definite recipe for success! Even though I didn’t like her at
first, I am now a huge Lex fan and can’t wait to see what happens in the
sequel, Scorch. I highly recommend
this book to teens, adults, or anyone who simply wants something that is
breezily paced and enjoyable.

Plot
summary: For the past two years, sixteen-year-old Lexington “Lex” Bartleby
has made it her personal mission to punch, bite, scratch or generally injure
her classmates. She used to be a straight-A student and have more friends than
just her twin sister, Cordy, but for some reason she has been overcome by an
inexplicable rage that makes her lash out at everyone, even her loving parents.
Fed up with her bad attitude (and potty mouth), her parents decide to send her
to live with her Uncle Mort in upstate New York for the summer. Lex is, of
course, beyond angry, but soon finds herself on a bus travelling north to the
small town of Croak. After she arrives and meets her motorcycle riding, crazy-haired
but strangely likable uncle, she soon realizes that Croak isn’t your average
farming town. It’s actually home to the eastern seaboard’s population of Grim
Reapers, people who travel instantaneously from place to place, extracting the
souls from those who have died and transporting them to the afterlife. Uncle
Mort informs Lex that her rage is a normal reaction that arises from those who
have the natural ability to be Grims, and that she will be spending the summer
reaping along with the other Juniors, teenagers who call Croak home. At first,
Lex is excited about her new life in Croak. She gets along well with the other
Juniors and even likes her partner in reaping, a guy just a few years older
than her named Driggs. But not everything is happy-go-lucky in Croak: it seems
that a rogue Grim has been travelling under the radar and killing people who
weren’t ready to die. When it appears that this murderer is now targeting other
Grims, Lex, Driggs and Uncle Mort must find out who it is before it’s too late.

Review: Funny and
original, it is difficult for fans of the young adult genre not to instantly
fall in love with Croak, the first
novel in a witty new series for teens by Gina Damico. From start to finish, Croak is well-written, entertaining and
thoroughly enjoyable. One of the most unusual (and ultimately satisfying) parts
of the story is that, in the beginning, the reader isn’t compelled to like Lex.
She is foul-mouthed, rude, violent, and just plain irritating. She has no
reason to be as angry as she is, and, like her parents and sweet twin sister,
the reader hopes that Uncle Mort will (literally) knock some sense into her.
After she arrives in Croak, however, and begins working as a Grim, she begins
to transform into someone readers can root for. This transformation isn’t
forced, but is one of the best parts of the story. In addition to this, there
are loads of other things readers will love about Croak. The town itself is interesting, with all of the shops having
morbid names and equally morbid owners. The mechanics of the Grim system of
collecting and transporting souls from those who have died is also very
original and not confusing, something that often happens when novels for teens
get a bit too scientific in their descriptions of how paranormal things
actually work. Supporting characters like Lex’s lovable Uncle Mort, her
wise-cracking partner, Driggs, and her other new friends in Croak add a great
deal to the story as well. Overall, a fast-paced and fun start to a series that
is easy to recommend to both teen and adult readers alike. The sequel, Scorch, was released in September 2012.

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Reading
level: Grade 8+

Similar
titles: Anna
Dressed in Blood and Girl
of Nightmares by Kendare Blake, Revenants
series by Amy Plum, Soul Screamers
series by Rachel Vincent.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Annotation:
After
fifteen-year-old Mirabelle Lively runs away from the home she shares with her
two godmothers, she finds herself in Beau Rivage, the town where she was born
and where her parents died in a fire at her christening party years earlier.
Mira doesn’t know what she will find in the strange town, only that she’s
hoping to locate her parents’ graves. Instead, she learns that in Beau Rivage,
fairy tales are a reality, and that her’s began the night her parents were
killed.

Personal
thoughts: I love twists on classic tales, so Kill Me Softly was the perfect book to delight me! I really liked
the author’s writing style, I loved how the story had elements of sweetness but
also serious creepy undertones as well, and I enjoyed the plot quite a bit. My
only small (kind-of) complaint was that I found the sexual relationship between
Mira, who is fifteen, and Felix, who is twenty-one, to be strangely accepted by
the other characters in the story (save for one mention of her being underage
by the guy described as a “beast” throughout the novel.) Are there no police in
Beau Rivage who wonder why a fifteen-year-old is buying slinky nightgowns to
attract her pedophile boyfriend? I wish this aspect of the story had been
either avoided by making the characters different ages, or explained a little
bit better. Other than that, however, I really did enjoy the novel and would
easily recommend it to older teen readers (and adults!) who want something original and fun!

Plot
summary: All of her life, Mirabella “Mira” Lively was told by her two
godmothers, Elsa and Bliss, that her parents died when she was a baby. Now Mira
is fifteen, and the story of her mom and dad perishing in a terrible fire at
her christening party isn’t adding up. Elsa and Bliss have forbidden Mira from
ever returning to Beau Rivage, the town where she was born and where her
parents were killed, but Mira is determined to learn the truth. Mira runs away
from home and finds herself in Beau Rivage without any money or anywhere to
stay. Chance brings her to The Dream, one of Beau Rivage’s many elegant
casinos, where she meets the handsome Felix Valentine and his younger brother,
Blue. Blue quickly warns Mira that Felix is dangerous and that she should stay
away from him, but Mira is enchanted by Felix’s kindness and the mutual
attraction between them, so when he offers her a room at the Dream while she
searches for her parents’ graves, she jumps at the opportunity to spend more
time with him. As Mira gets to know Beau Rivage, she quickly learns that there
is something very strange about the town. It seems that in Beau Rivage, fairy
tales are a reality, and most of the inhabitants have been cursed to live out
the fates of their literary ancestors. Mira has always wondered what the strange
wheel shaped birthmark on her back means, and begins to suspect that she, like
the rest of Beau Rivage, has a curse of her own. But what does her fate have to
do with her blossoming relationship with the seductive Felix, and why does Blue,
and everyone else in town, keep insisting she is in danger?

Review: Set in the
beautifully creepy town of Beau Rivage, where living a fairy tale isn’t
necessarily a good thing, Kill Me Softly,
the latest novel from author Sarah Cross, offers a new take on the classic “stories”
we thought we all knew. As many readers who pick up Kill Me Softly might already know (or will soon find out), the
original versions of most of the well-known fairy tales tend to be quite grim.
From Cinderella’s stepsisters slicing off parts of their feet to fit into the
glass slipper, to the little mermaid suffering agonizing torture from splitting
her tail into legs to be with her prince, there is usually very little that can
be identified as “Disney” in these tales. What is, in a morbid way, so
enjoyable about Kill Me Softly, is
that the town of Beau Rivage operates on the gruesome versions of the fairy
tales. After Mira arrives in town, she soon spots a set of sisters walking
around with bandaged feet, one of her new friends is constantly coughing up
flower petals and jewels, and the guy she finds herself falling in love with
seems to have a very dark and deadly secret of his own. Readers will find much
to relish in this book, from identifying the incarnations of their favorite
fairy tales, to Mira’s quest to find out the truth about her parents. Be
advised, however, that while this book is based on tales for children, it is
suitable for the older teen audience, as there is a fair amount of cursing and
sexual situations (particularly the romance between twenty-one-year-old Felix
Valentine and the very underage fifteen-year-old Mira.) For adventurous
readers, however, Kill Me Softly is
an entertaining read that is sure to satisfy in many ways. A companion novel
set in Beau Rivage is set to be released in the near future.

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Reading
level: Grade 9+

Similar
titles: Sweetly and Sisters Red by Jackson Pearce, Between the Sea and Sky by Jaclyn
Dolamore, Juliet Immortal by Stacey
Jay, Snow in Summer: Fairest of Them All by
Jane Yolen.

Series
Information: First novel in Beau Rivage series.
Companion novel set to be released in 2013.

Discussion
questions:

-
Do you think Mira running away to Beau Rivage
was the right thing for her to do? Why or why not?

-
What do you think Blue meant when he told Mira
that Felix “loves orphans?”

-
Do you think Felix truly loved Mira? Blue?
Freddie?

-
Who was your favorite character in the novel?
Why?

-If you could choose your Beau Rivage “curse,”
what would you pick? Why?

-
Sarah Cross has said that she’s writing a
companion novel to Kill Me Softly that
will contain Viv’s story. What do you think this book will be about? Do you
plan to read it? What other characters from Kill
Me Softly would like to know more about?

Pages

About Me

Welcome to my blog! I'm a librarian who loves to read...unusual, right? This blog contains my reviews and thoughts about the books I read, and other information for tweens, teens, parents, teachers, librarians and anyone else who loves books. Enjoy!